As he heads into one more title fight this Saturday, at the age of 46, here's a look at the five fights that defined his status as one of the modern masters:
Bernard Hopkins TKO 12 Felix Trinidad
September 29, 2001 (Madison Square Garden, New York, NY)
In a contest that was to be held just four days after the September 11th terrorist attack on the US, this middleweight unification bout was moved back two weeks, but still carried the heavy burden of being boxing's first major show since the tragedy. A 2-to-1 underdog, Hopkins put his IBF and WBC middleweight titles up against Trinidad's WBA belt. The final bout of Don King's middleweight tournament, which saw Hopkins beating then-WBC champ Keith Holmes and Trinidad crushing William Joppy for the WBA belt to get to the finals, was a fairly one-sided affair. Hopkins outclassed and out-boxed the offense-minded Puerto Rican to wear down the former three-division champ en route to a twelfth round corner stoppage from Trinidad's side of the ring.
Bernard Hopkins UD 12 Kelly Pavlik
October 18, 2008 (Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, NJ)
After a dismal performance against Joe Calzaghe, just six months prior, most expected the heavy-handed middleweight champion, Kelly Pavlik to send the 43-year old Hopkins into retirement, even though the bout was scheduled to be contested at a catchweight of 170 lbs., ten pounds above the middleweight limit. What ensued was a one-sided boxing clinic from "The Executioner" that left the 26-year old slugger demoralized and his career stalled.
Bernard Hopkins MD Jean Pascal
December 18, 2010 (Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada)
Following a late-career pattern, not many people gave a 45-year old "B-Hop" much of a chance against the light heavyweight division's top dog in a bout held in the champion's own adopted home town. Early in the fight, the experts seemed on-target as a sluggish Hopkins was dropped in the first and third rounds to put him way behind the defending champion. However, from rounds four to twelve, Hopkins turned things around drastically and was in complete control for most of the rest of the contest. Most thought he deserved the win, but Hopkins left Quebec with the majority draw.
Bernard Hopkins TKO 10 Antwun Echols
December 1, 2000 (Venetian Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV)
In an even uglier, dirtier rematch to an ugly first bout, Hopkins established his willingness to display street fighting tactics and old fashioned toughness alongside his vast technical skills. This Hopkins title defense saw Echols deducted two points, "B-Hop" deducted one, and the fight nearly degenerate into an alley brawl on several occasions. Hopkins would also be slammed to the canvas in the sixth round, dislocating his shoulder. Rather than take the DQ win, though, the defending champ decided to go on with the fight and would stop his challenger four rounds later.
Bernard Hopkins TKO 7 Segundo Mercado
April 29, 1995 (US Air Arena, Landover, MD)
Hopkins' first bout with Mercado was a frustrating draw for the vacant IBF middleweight title in an Ecuadorian bull ring in which Hopkins would hit the canvas twice. In the rematch, held in Landover, Maryland, Hopkins displayed total dominance over the top-ranked middleweight from Ecuador, stopping Mercado in seven one-sided rounds to win his first world title.
